Summary:
Google commemorated the 153rd birthday of Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi, one of the first Indian female physicians, with its charismatic doodle.
The pictorial doodle shows her holding a degree in a green saree with a stethoscope around her neck.
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Google commemorated the 153rd birthday of Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi, one of the first Indian female physicians, with its charismatic doodle.
The pictorial doodle shows her holding a degree in a green saree with a stethoscope around her neck.
Anandi Gopal Joshi was the very first woman of Indian origin to study and graduate with a two-year diploma in medicine in the United States.
Apart from this, she is also believed to be the first Indian woman to set foot on American soil.
Joshi was born in Kalyan of Maharashtra`s Thane district, by the name of Yamuna.
Her family had been landlords in Kalyan but had lost their economic wealth.
Due to immense family pressure, Yamuna was married to Gopalrao Joshi, a widower almost 20 years older than her when she was merely nine years old.
Her husband renamed her Anandi after marriage.
Gopalrao worked as a postal clerk in Kalyan.
Anandibai gave birth to a boy when she was 14 years old, but the infant lived only 10 days as the medical care necessary for his survival was unavailable at that time.
This was the incident that turned the tables for Yamuna or now Anandi.
At this harsh moment, Anandi`s life changed and she was inspired to become a physician.
Gopalrao encouraged Anandibai to study medicine and in 1880, she moved to the US to pursue higher studies at the Women`s Medical College of Pennsylvania, where her husband found an appropriate post for himself as well.
Anandibai died of tuberculosis at the age of 21 in 1887.